Governance Unplugged - Internal Audit, Risk & Controls

The Internal Auditor of Tomorrow: Why Artificial Intelligence Raises the Bar (Part 2) 💥 In the second part of my conversation with Hervé Gloaguen https://www.linkedin.com/in/hervé-gloaguen-5348ab9/ , former Group Chief Audit Executive and Group Chief Compliance Officer of Allianz, we move from the what to the how. And Hervé does not hold back. His big idea: internal audit should not protect its o...

The Internal Auditor of Tomorrow: Why Artificial Intelligence Raises the Bar (Part 1) 🤖 I had the real privilege of sitting down with Hervé Gloaguen @https://www.linkedin.com/in/hervé-gloaguen-5348ab9/ , former Group Chief Audit Executive and Group Chief Compliance Officer of Allianz, where he led up to 900 auditors and 800 compliance officers across more than 40 countries. He has also sat firmly...

In this episode, Thomas Michel interviews Tony W. DeKker, a former global head of business risk services at Ernst & Young, who now serves on various boards and teaches at Erasmus University. They discuss the gap between GRC science and the reality of the boardroom, the human factor in governance, and the art of risk discipline. They also explore the challenges of risk oversight, the strategic...

The conversation delves into the purpose and challenges of modern risk management, the importance of risk management in decision-making, the limitations of traditional risk reporting, the role of quantification, and the integration of risk management with internal audit and compliance. It emphasizes the need for risk management to shape decisions under uncertainty and be integrated into the decisi...

The conversation explores the transformative impact of AI on the internal audit function, emphasizing its role as a capability shift rather than just a tool. It delves into the practical implications of AI on the audit lifecycle, the importance of understanding different types of AI, the transformation of the internal audit function, and the future role of the internal auditor in an AI-enabled wor...

The conversation explores the impact of AI on organizations, the fiduciary responsibility of boards, AI regulation, building trust in responsible AI, defining decision authority, internal audit's role in AI, and the ideal superpower for AI oversight. Takeaways AI is a boardroom priority Strong AI governance requires clarity in practice Internal Audit plays a critical role in enabling safe and resp...

Keywords   AI transformation, governance, trust, human-centric, accountability, risk management, organizational culture, change management, executive leadership, digital transformation     Summary   In this episode of Governance Unplugged, host Thomas Michel and guest Christian Deloes discuss the complexities of AI transformation, emphasizing the importance of trust, governance, and human-centric...

The conversation delves into the changing landscape of governance, the evolution of the modern internal auditor, the impact of AI on audit careers, and the skills of the future internal auditor. It also explores personal well-being, career surprises, practical examples of courage and integrity, preparing junior professionals for dark times, and the future of audit careers. Additionally, it discuss...

The conversation explores the future of governance, the role of internal audit in risk management, integrated assurance, simplicity and clarity in governance, accountability and oversight in the age of AI, adapting to technology and industry standards, the role of senior personnel in audit activities, data testing and assurance in internal audit, access to data and analysis for internal audit, und...

What happens when doing the right thing comes with real personal risk, to your job, your safety, or your reputation? In this compelling episode of Governance Unplugged – Internal Audit, Risk & Controls, we sit down with a highly experienced (and anonymised) Chief Audit Executive, whom we call “Michael.” Together, we explore what it truly means to lead with courage when the pressure is high, th...

In the second part of their conversation, Thomas Michel and Martin Studer (Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinstuder/ ) explore the future of internal audit and assurance. This episode focuses on how artificial intelligence (AI) and “alternative intelligence” are reshaping the profession, the impact on the Three Lines model, and the enduring value of human expertise. Martin Studer shares...

Episode Overview In this first part of a two-part conversation, Thomas Michel sits down with Martin Studer, a distinguished leader in internal audit and risk advisory, to discuss the very foundations of assurance. Together, they explore the true purpose of internal audit, what makes the role genuinely impactful, and why the future of assurance will belong to those who demonstrate intellectual, emo...

Episode 12 From Trustless Code to Trusted Governance: Why Crypto Needs Boards and (Internal) Audit Guest: Marieke Flament: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariekeflament/ Episode Summary Crypto was built on “don’t trust people, trust the code.” But code is written, maintained, and exploited by people. In this episode, Thomas sits down with Marieke — a crypto-governance expert and industry leader — to...

Small but Mighty: Running a High-Impact Audit Function with Limited Resources with Ingo Hartmann Welcome back to Governance Unplugged! In Episode 11, Thomas sits down with Ingo Hartmann, Head of Group Audit & Consulting at Maxon, to unpack how lean internal audit teams can punch well above their weight. With 20+ years across internal audit, risk, and compliance (including Big-4 and industry ro...

Welcome to another episode of Governance Unplugged! In Episode 10, host sits down with Barry Franck (LinkedIn | www.tech-trust.ch ), renowned board advisor, transformation leader, and founder of Tech Trust. This episode cuts through the buzzwords — AI, blockchain, cybersecurity, digital transformation — and gets to the heart of what truly matters in today’s boardrooms. 🎯 Episode Highlights • ✅ W...

Founders Need Firepower: Why Smart Startups Build Smart Boards (w/ Marieke Flament) 🚀 Episode summary Boards aren’t a brake—they’re a launchpad. In this episode, Marieke Flament https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariekeflament/ (two-time CEO, builder, investor, and board member) joins host Thomas Michel https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-michel-ksg/ to demystify startup governance. We explore why smart...

Governance Unplugged – Episode 8 “Culture in the Spotlight: Where Tone, Behaviours and Risk Intersect” Culture isn’t just a “soft” topic—it’s a core driver of behaviour, and behavior drives risk. In this episode, Thomas Michel is joined once again by Kevin Martin to explore one of the most elusive yet impactful areas of internal audit: auditing culture. Together, they unpack why culture matters, t...

Governance Unplugged – Episode 7 “Beyond the Hype: Using AI with Integrity in Internal Audit” Guest: Gavin Martin, seasoned internal audit executive and technology risk expert with leadership roles at UBS, Credit Suisse, and Lloyds Banking Group. How can we embrace Artificial Intelligence in Internal Audit, without losing our professional skepticism? In this episode, host Thomas is joined once aga...

Timeless Risks & Integrated Assurance: Rethinking the Audit Lens Guest: Gavin Martin, Experienced Internal and External auditor having worked with some of the largest banks in the world. (Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-martin-ukch/ ) 🔍 Why do “forever risks” demand a different audit playbook? Host Thomas sits down with Gavin with nearly 30 years of experience across internal and...

Gavin Martin, Experienced Internal and External auditor having worked with some of the largest banks in the world. 🔍 What should audit committees really be asking internal audit? In this episode, host Thomas Michel is joined by governance, risk and control expert Gavin Martin to explore how audit committees can further enhance their effectiveness as stewards of internal audit. With nearly 30 year...

In this energizing episode of Governance Unplugged, host Thomas Michel sits down with internal audit specialist and veteran Cynthia Boumann to explore how internal audit can evolve into a future-fit, value-adding function, without losing sight of governance principles. With decades of experience as Global Head of Internal Audit, CFO, and Big Four leader, Cynthia shares powerful insights on: • Why...

Beyond the Checklist – The True Power of Internal Audit Guest: Nicolas Steyaert Head of Internal Audit at Swarovski (Connect on LinkedIn) In this episode of Governance Unplugged, we go beyond the checklist with Nicolas Steyaert, a seasoned internal audit professional with 28 years of global experience. Nicolas reflects on the remarkable evolution of internal audit—from a traditional watchdog funct...

The Global Internal Audit Standards (GIAS) 2025 are here! But what do they really mean for internal auditors, risk managers, and governance professionals? In this episode of Governance Unplugged, host Thomas Michel, a seasoned internal audit and risk expert breaks down everything you need to know about the new standards. Key Takeaways: - Why the new standards matter and how they modernize internal...

Welcome to the very first episode of Governance Unplugged! In this premiere, host Thomas Michel, a governance expert with 25 years of experience, including leadership roles at the World Economic Forum, sets the stage for an engaging journey into corporate governance, risk management, and internal audit. In this episode, Thomas shares the vision behind the podcast, highlights key upcoming topics li...